Feeding mechanism.



F. B. REDINGTON EHVI. MILMOE.

FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION ms!) MAR. 22. 1913.

1,158,287, Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

I I 5 SHEETSSHET l. v

F. 8. REDENGTQN 81 M. L MILMDE. FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPucmoN nuzo MAR.'22. 1913.

1,158,287. Patent/ed 00. 26, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. B. REDflNGTON & M. 3. MILMOE.

I FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION man mmzz. ms.

1,158287. Pamnted 0m. 26, 191.5.

F. B. REDiNGTON & M. j. MELMOE.

FEEDKNG MECHANISM. Arrucmlora Ht'ED $1.22. 1913;

Patnted 0st. 26, 1915,

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5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- F. B. REDINGTON & M. J. MILMOE. FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MMLZZ. I913- Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

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tinrrnn srarns PATENT orrion.

FRANK B. REDINGTON AND MICHAEL J. MILMOE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NORS TO I F. B. EEDINGTON COMPANY, .OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 22, 1913. Serial No. 756,088.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK .13. BEIJING- TON and Mic/Hash J. MILMOE, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvemerits in Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to wrapping machines and particularly to the feed- I in mechanism therefor.

@rirn'arily, this invention is designed to feed sticks or sections of chewing gum to a wrapping machine, and has for its ohject to provide a mechanism whereby the gum is properly stacked prior to being received by the wrapping machine.

With the above and other objects in view, his invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, Elaimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a feeding mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the feeding chute and wrapping machine magazine, illustrating the stacked gum; Fig. is a front elevation of the hopper and cooperating parts; Fig. 4 is a section taken along the'line 4-l of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a similar view taken along the line of Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the hopperand delivery plate coiiperating. therewith, illustrating in detail the follower operating mechanism; Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower end of the delivery plate, illustrating the follower for. directing the assembled gum to the feeding chute; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken along the line 88 of Fig. 6; Fig- 9 is a plan'view of the delivery plate; and Fig. 10 is a side elevationthereof, partly in section, along the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

The present invention is designed to handle sections or pieces of gum approximately three-quarters of an inch square and about one-eighth of an inch thick. These sections 01' pieces of gum are received from theovens in pans or receptacles not having any particular order or arrangement.

It is the object of the present invention,

therefore, to provide means for receiving the pieces of gum from the pans or receptacles,'and orderly arrange the same for the purpose of feeding them to the wrapping machine. This is carried out by providing a hopper 11, with a narrowed outlet opening at the base thereof.

A drum 12 is keyed to a shaft 13 arranged transversely directly under the outlet opening of the hopper 11. This drum completely fills the outlet opening of the hopper 11 and is adapted to receive the pieces of gum from the hopper and deliver the same in a vertical position to the delivery plate hereinafter more fully described. The drum 12 is provided with two series of grooves,one' series l l for the reception of the gum,- and .the other series 15 acting as housings for a plurality of arms 16, keyed upon the shaft 17. These arms 16 are curved to conform with the contour of the drum 12 and normally rest within the grooves 15 bearing upon the surface of the drum.

The forward face of the hopper is provided with a series of openings 18, which cooperate with the arms 16. In order to prevent sections or pieces of the gum from passing through these openings 18, by means of the grooves 15 formed in the drum'12, each arm 16 is provided with a head 19 which fits in the adjoining or corresponding opening 18 and completely occupies th same. It will ,be seen by reference to Figs. 4 and 8 that the arms 16 operate in the base of the hopper, and that a continual oscillatory movement of these arms will cause an agitation among the pieces of gum contained within the hopper and willcause the same to gradually position theinselves in a vertical plane, owing to the fact that the arms are spaced apart, and that, when in such position, the pieces of gum will drop between the arms 16-into the grooves l t-of the drum.

It will be noted that the peripheries of the walls of the grooves 14 are beveled inwardly, to aid in thereceptipnlof the pieces of Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

21. This roller bearing cooperates with the grooved cam 22 mounted upon the elicit i3,

so that as the shaft ii? rotates a constant oscillatory movement will be imparted to the shaft 1''? and thence to the arms 16, causing the required agitation of the gum within the hopper, theicby positioning the gum in a vertical plane to be received in the grooves 1% of the drum l3, the drum is continuously rotating, will be seen that all squares or pieces of gum placed in a vertical plane, and located adjacent to the bot tom of the hopper, will be received by the grooves l of said drum and carried from the l rper in the direction of the arrow in Figs l and Alter the giiiin removed from the hopper by the driun lie", it is received in the livery plate 23, shown in detail in h" and 1.0, loca ed adjacent to he lorwaro. N

f the hopper ll and arranged at an angle thereto. This delivery plate is mounted upon a frame and carries on its under surface plate This plate projects beyond the outer edge of the delivery plate 23 and forms the base l lof runway do be hereinafter more specifically described, said projecting portion or base 26 being deflected downwardly at a, slight un le. The upper or inner terminal of the plate terminates somewhat shortol the inner end of the do livery plate and provided with a series of stripper tongues 27,, which profiect into the grooves l4: oi the drum 12, shown in Fig. 5, said piper tongues provided with the beveled portions 28 at th ir terminals for coincid. with or conforming to the contour of the drum aforesaid. it will readily be seen, by referring to Fig; 5, that as the drum rotates the stripper plates will operate under the sections or pieces of gum carried by 'the grooves i l of the drum and deliver the same to the delivery plate 23. The inner terminal the delivery plate is beveled, as shown at 53 to provide for a clearance for the drun'i l2, at the some time locate said delivery plate in as close proximity to the drum :rloriid possible. This delivery plate is pro .od *ith a plurality of convergent guiding; ehanneis 30, which receive gum from the drum through the in.- strumencality of the stripper tongues c7 and deliver the sections of said gum. in a somewhat compact,correlation upon the projecting terminal of the plate These-channels 30 at their inlet terrninals-tlmt is, the terminals thereof adjacent to the drum 12- are arranged an angle to the place of the plate and at their outlet terminalsthat is, the terminals adjacent to the projecting portion oi? the plate ZIP-1W0 arranged in a plane vertical to the plane of the plate "iherelore, a section or piece of gum 3i entering a channel 30 assumes an angle to the plane of the plate 23 and, as it continues to "pass izhrough the channel 30, gradually assumes a vertical position with respect to the plate The base of each channel 30 t'u'minates at the end of the plate 525, iudicatedb reference numeral 32 in Fig, i), and coincides with the inner ter minal of one of the stripper tongues 27, in order that a piece of gum. 31 passing from the drum 1% over the stripper tongue 27 will be directed positively and accurately to the corresponding channel.

the opening of eachchaimel at the inlet terminal thercoi coincides with the plane of the adjoining stripper tongue,and as the plate is beveled, as indicated at 29, the length of the opening of each channel is greater than the leugth ol the bottom thereof and therei'orc the angle of the opening to the forward edge of the delii' 'ery plate 23 will be greater than the angle of the bottom of each channel, inasmuch as at the inlet end both the opening and the bottom thereof are located in the same plane as the corresponding stripper tongue 27. By this construction, the sections oil gum 31 a re delivercddirectly into the inlet opening of each channel and gravitate toward the forward edge of the delivery plate restinr: upon their sides, which eliminates friction and decreases the possibility of damaging the same until the sections pass from the channels at the delivery end thereof upon the projecting portion 26 of the plate Where they assume rear and rest upon al position said projecting portion. 26 on edge. As the channels 55%) coi'iverge toward the outer edge of the pin e 23 and the center i'l'iorcof, it will be seen that the angle o'l' the Walls thereof to the plane of thcplale 23 will be iucreas to the distance of the inprormrtion channel froi'u the m or oi the "plate; that is, the angle "of the extreme outer channels at their inlet ends tmtlie plane of the plate 23 will be greater than the medial or central channels 30.

The projecting t rminal 26 of the plate 25 forms arunvsay i iin combination with the bar 33, which issccured l the outer edge of. said projecting portion E26, llhis runwa is arranged transversely with respect to the channels 30 of the (li ery plate 23, and is designed to receive the sections of gum 3l'from the delivery plate in a somewhat compact form and convey the same to one side of'che plate 23, as is illustrated in Fig, 3, i

amaze? of a spring 40, the opposite terminal of said spring operating against the bearing 37.

This spring is a compression spring, and as it operates =hetween the hearing 37 and the head 39, normally-tends to force the follower in a direction toward the outlet terminal of the runway 34:, 35 being secured to the rod 38, which is reciprocated by the spring 40, by means of a connection 41. A lever 42 ismounted on any suitable bearing 43, for oscillation about said bearing, and has its forward end bifursated, as at 44, for slidable engagement with the terminal of the rod 38, said bifurcated terminal 4% adapted to bear against a collar or head 45, mounted on the terminal of said rod. A roller bearing 46 is arranged naedially upon the lever 42 and is adapted to bear against the outer earn surface of the cylinder cam 47, whichis mounted upon the shaft 13 and is adapted to rotate therewith. It will be seen that when the roller bearing .426 contacts with the cam surface of the cylindrical cam 4-3, it will permit the spring 40 to act upon the rod 38 and thus force the rod and the connected follower 35 in a direction toward the outlet opening of the runway 34. This action causes the gum which may happen to loev in the runway to .be

'forced tl1erefrom3-and, after such action,

the roller 'bearing 4:6 rides from the cam surface of the c 'lindrical cam 47 thus oscillating the arm 42 causing the bifurcated terminal ii thereof to contact with the head iii of the rod. 38 and reciprocate said rod again t the tension of the spring #10, thereby returning the follower to its normal position, leaving the channels 30 free. A spring i8 is interposed between the lever 42 and the frame i i, and normally tends to cause the roller hearing 46 to constantly contact with ii sndricnl cam 4-7.

in ordt.

of gum ill in L1 c nnels 30 while the follower is. opc .ig transversely with re spect to said cl JLHQiS d forcing the gum .within. the runway toward the outlet openlug thereof, a. pair of hearings are mounted upon the frame and have a shaft 50 mounted for .,J ation therein, said shaft carrying plates 51 medially of its ends, Still provided with a 13 lurality of d. r; one finger or dctent being pros each channel 30. Due terminal of shaft is prosaid follower n the pieces or sections a spring 58, said spring also being secured to the frame-24: of the machine and acting upon the arm 52 to normally draw the detaining plates 51 toward the outlet ends of the channels 30 to operate against the gum passing through said channels to retain the same therein until the follower has completed one full reciprocation.

At the opposite end of the shaft 50 to the arm 52 is a dependent cam. plate 54, which cooperates with a pin 55 mounted on the lever 42. Therefore, as the cam returns the follower, through the instrumentality of the lever 42 and the rod 38, to its normal position to permit the passage of gum from the channels 30' to the runway 34, the pin 55 contacts with the cam plate 54 to oscillate the shaft 50 against the action of the s ring 53, thereby raising the detaining p ates 51 and permitting the gum free pas sage through the channels 30, as indicated in Fig. 4. So long as the pin 55 is in contact with the cam plate 54, the gum may freely pass through the channels 30; but as soon as theroller hearing l6 operates upon the cam surt'ace of the cam 47 and the spring 40 operates the follower, the lever 42 will move away iircin the cam plate 5e, thus disengaging the pin 55 therefrom, thereby permitting the spring 53 to act upon the arm 52 and the detaining plates 51 to drop retaining the gum within the channels 40.

The action of the follower 35 forces the gum from the runway 3&- into an inclined feeding chute 56, which opens at its lowerend into the magazine 57 of the Wrapping machine. A slide 58 is mounted upon the table 59 under the magazine 5?, and is operated by a bell crank 60, which is oscillated by a cam 61. As the cam 61 rotates, the bell crank (30 is oscillated,i1nparting a reciprocatory movement to the slide 58, which slide engages the lowest section of. gum 31 within the magazine 5? and removes the same therefrom, after which itcarries the 'said section to the wrapping machine, not shown or described in this application.

it will he understood that when pressure is applied to a series of sections or pieces of gum at both terminals thereof, the tendency of said gum is to rise. or buckle, in the middle; and inordcr to eliminate this tendency an angle plate 2 is mounted upon the feedlug chute 5'6 adjacent to the outlet terminal and 0 suspend the gum from two poiiiis ioouted upon adiecent edges thereofi ahe he? or pisie 33, for-liming one side of the runway 34, is beveled inwardly, as at 63, toi'verci the bottom of said runway. Thus, as the sec tions of gum pass from the channels 30 to said runway, the outer edge of each seetion is sumaorteci by the upper edge of the bar and. the bottom er'ige is ipported adjacentto the beuel of the projecting oerlvion 26 of the plate thereby supporting each section at two points and overcoming the tendency of the gum to foil upon ies face. The shaft. 13 which operates the on o feeding machine is driven by the sheave 64, over which operates a. belt 65, "which is driven from pulley located upon a. suitebie power shaft 67.

Briefly, the operation of ixhis feeding mechanism or machine is as follows: The shaft 13 is constantly rotaii stem; rotaion of said shaft mr is oscillatory movement to the agitating emu through the medium i the groove cam 3:2,

thereby causing the pores or sections of gum in the bottom oi the hopper ii to gre iueliy assume a vertical posit-ion and (hop inio #he grooves 1i oi ihe drum As soon as the pie of gum drop inie the grooves 14 1 vertical position, namely, upon edge, the rotation of the drum carries such sections or pietes of gum from the hopper to the channels ?0, through Wliieh the gum gHtVitotes. A. continued rotation of she shaft l3 :euses the roller bearing 4H3 to file upon the cam surface the cam 47, thus "eriniii-ing the spring 20 is not upon. ihe iroii" and. cause lire foilowei: to reciproc: This re ciprocation oi? the follower Qes uli gum which been doiivered by the channels 80 cure by United 5" 1 The combination xvi... grooved rel :iry

zuh'ipterl to receive s: said hopper in oiig i-a\r.se.=. relziiioii, plzilo cooperating wilh said drum ions el 11? seiil sections in ealgewise rohibi drum and arrange the some in :2. a and e. feeding chute eoijperati's i mugged in connection with said deliver piuie re ceiving siicl sections of maferiai iii. arranged position.

2. "he combination. with. a hopper,

g and this 0011-.

aforesaid, and menus m w Psi untii,

moses? 42. The combinal ion with a hopper adapt ed to contain. rectangular biochs of mate-- rial, of vertically reci 'irocaiing i'neziiis Within said hopper for agitating the eonients thereof duuily arranging said blocks upon edge.

The combinationwith a hopper adapted 0 contain hiocas oi? meveriai, of an 21gi-= jmior directly engagingthe blocks within said hopper for arranging the cements thereof successireiy upon. edge, and a drum for receiving the blocks zifi'er being operated. upon by flhe agitator and removing the some iii the hopperaforesaid.

6. The combination with a hopper adapt,- ed to contain hioclrs of u Teri 1 iii indie crimiimte reisA-ioz'i, of an agimi-or directly engaging said blooks w' 11in hopper for arranging iho conienis thereof successively upon edge, a drum. for receiving the blocks after being operated noun by {he agitator and removing the sin e i he hopper wi th seiri. Mocks iiherofrom.

drum for receiving 3.13151 stacking i he same is lotion,

7. The combination. with a hopper, of a. deli-Very phite arranged ecijaeeni thereto, an figltiiiOl' Wiihin the hopper, a. rotary iii ior jusiif yii'ig and coz-i'v'eying the contenfis of said hopper to said. ieiiver plate, and means or ringed. upon said (ieiivey piste for steekiii on; are? i e" soil-contests.

E4. The con'iliinelvion per, of e deiirerypiste arranged sdjaceni iherelio adopted to receive the conuenis oi said hop per and arrange the some, a runway c0- operating with said delivery plate for receiving said arranged. contents, a feeding ehuie Lfliipel'fltihg said runway and. means for rec/ipreoelrin said ioliower at predetermined iiitervais eiring the arge l contents, and. o. ocnting foilower operating in Slil li i illl .e for dear- 1111;; the runway.

9. 'fihe cmnbizmtioii with :1 hopper, oie eircum'iierenlinil y grooved drum coiipemiing therewith, :1 mi :1 cieiivery plate coiipm-hh ing with said drum provided with grooves. ziliiied with the grooves of said firm "1.

10. Thecombination with a. hopper, of a grooved drum cooperating therewfih, and. a

definite iii-zed oorremeans? delivery plate cotiperating with said drum.

provided with convergent grooves alined at one terminal with the grooves of said drum.

11. The combination with a hopper, of a delivery plate cooperating therewith adapted to receive from said hopper the contents thereof, and to stack and arrange the same, a runway cooperating with said delivery plate, and a follower mounted for reciprocation in said runway transversely of said delivery plate for removing the stacked contents thereof and means for reciprocating said follower at predetermined intervals.

12. lhe combination with a hopper, of a drum cooperating therewith, a delivery plate cooperating with said drum, a runway loeated adjacent to said delivery plate, a follower reciprocating in said runway and operable by the revolutions of said drum, and a feeding chute adapted to receive the contents of said runway by the action of said follower.

13. The combination with a hopper, of a grooved drum cooperating therewith, adelivery plate cotiperating with said drum pro vided with channels alined at one terminal with the grooves of said drum, a runway adapted to receive the contents of said channels, a chute located at one terminal of said runway, and a follower adapted to empty said runway into said chute.

14:. The combination with a hopper, a grooved drum cooperating therewith, a delivery plate adjacent to said drum provided with channels, a runway adapted to receive the contents of said channels, a follower operable transversely of said channels for emptying said runway, and means for closing the channels aforesaid during the operation of said follower.

1.5. The combination with a hopper, of a circumferentially grooved drum cooperating therewith, a delivery plate adjzwcut to said drum prov ded with channels alincd with the grooves in said drum, a runway adapt ed to receive the contents of said. channels, a follower operable from said drum for emptying said runway, and detaining plates adapted to coiiperate with saidchanuel for stopping the passage thercthrough during the operation of said follower.

1G. The combination of a hopper adapted to contain a quantity of pieces of material in indiscriminaterelation, a drum having a plurality of peripheral grooves, and an agitator acting directly upon the quantity of pieces of material and cooperating with the drum to position the pieces of material in edgewise relation in said grooves.

17. The combination of a ho} yer adapted to contain a quantity of pieces of material in indiscriminate relation, a drum. having a plurality of peripheral grooves, an agitator acting directly upon the quantity of pieces of material and cooperating with the drum to position the pieces of material in edgewise relation in said grooves, and a guiding plate having a plurality of grooves positioned to receive the pieces of material from the grooves of said drum.

18. The combination of a hopper adapted to contain a quantity of pieces of material in indiscriminate relation, a drum having a plurality of peripheral grooves, an agitator acting directly upon the quantity of pieces of material and cooperating with the :t l rum to position the pieces of material in edgewise relation in said grooves, a guiding plate having a plurality of grooves positioned to receive the pieces of material from the grooves of said drum and for directing the pieces of material into stacked relation, means. for receiving the material from the guide plate, and an ejector for removing the stacked pieces of material from the last said means.

19. lhe combination of a hopper for containing a quantity ofpieces of material in indiscriminate relation, a rotary drum upon which said quantity of pieces rests and having a plurality of circumferential grooves, a plurality of agitator arms positioned between the grooves and cooperating therewith to position the pieces of material in the grooves, guiding means having a plurality of channels positioned to receive the pieces of material from the drum and direct them into stacked relation, and a receiver for reing a plurality of circurntcrcntial grooves,

a plurality oil" agitator arms positioned bc tween. the grooves and coiiperatlng therewith o S1Ll()ll the pieces of material in the grooves, guiding means having a plurality,

ofchannels positioned to receive the pieces of material from the drum anddircct them into stacked relation, a receiver for receiving thestac'kcd pieces of unite-rial from said channels, and an ejector operating trans-- vclscly of said channels within said receiver for removing the stacks of pieces olf material.

21. The combination of a. hopper" for containing a quantity of pieces of material in indiscriminate relation, a rotary drum upon which said quantity of pieces rests and having a plurality of circumlercntial grooves, a plurality of agitator arms positioned betwcev the grooves and cooperating therewith. to s: ition the pico gi 'oovos, guiding uncans having a plurality in: channels positioned to receive the pieces of material from the drum and direct them into stacked relation, a, receiver for receiving the stacked pieces of material from said and delivering said pieces on edge iHStlCkEd relation, and means for supporting the pieces of material in the stack at points on two adjacent edges thereof above the center of said edges, the portion of the watersheiow the center of one edge thereof being unsupported.

' In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this 18 day 10 of March A. D. 1913.

FRANK B. REDINGTON. MICHAEL 'J. MILMOE.

-Witnesses: FRED G. BRooKs, HELEN M. PATTERsoN. 

